Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jan 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aas...21537904b&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #379.04; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.589
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
To most naked eye observers, the Moon appears larger when seen near the horizon than it does when seen near the zenith. This "Moon Illusion” has been reported from as early as the fourth century BC and has been the subject of hundreds of papers and two books. Its explanation does not lie in the realm of physics (atmospheric refraction) or astronomy (eccentric lunar orbit) but, rather, in the realm of visual perception. Theories for the cause of the effect abound but, at present, there is no universally accepted explanation. Because the effect can be easily observed in many locations and during the course of an academic year, the moon illusion can provide a nice astronomical example that involves both direct observations and theoretical analysis. As part of the NSF funded "Project LITE: Light Inquiry Through Experiments", we have been developing inexpensive experiments and demonstrations that can be done at home. One of these is a miniature version of the classic "Ames Room". The life size version was originally developed by Adelbert Ames, Jr. and can be seen in many science museums. Our "digital” Ames Room has been designed to be printed on heavy paper using an inexpensive inkjet printer from a PDF file that is posted on the Project LITE web site http://lite.bu.edu and then cut and folded to make the room. When viewed through one wall using a commonly available door viewer, it dramatically demonstrates how the eye and brain system assesses the relative size of objects by making comparisons with the surrounding environment in which the objects are placed. In this presentation we will discuss some insights that the Ames Room provides that may offer clues to the correct explanation for the Moon Illusion. Project LITE is supported by the NSF through DUE Grant # 0715975.
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